Weekend getaway

So, M cancelled last-minute-ish to come visit this weekend, so I decided to go north young woman. I know someone who lives up there and was going to meet up for lunch, but that got cancelled too. So, just drove. Ish.

I had heard of Healdsburg from a co-worker. It's quieter than Napa, but just as nice. And it was. I stopped by one tasting room to ask about where to eat and the woman pointed me to the Wurst Place. YUM. Really nice guy who was apparently in some metal band a while back started this place a couple years ago. I know the latter because he was going around saying hello and chatting with everyone, not just me the single, alone woman. He pointed me back inside to the condiment table, where he had homemade mustards and ketchups and sauces. So many there wasn't enough Wurst to try them with!  And Sprecher root beer. Mmmm...

[on a side note, it's interesting to be asked why I moved out here. I think I've gotten it down to a well-practiced eye roll and that I moved here with someone and now he lives in S. Cal and I live here]

Found the Goodwill store and bought a few albums. I'm starting to really collect old children's albums. Someday I'll do a show using them.

Went back to the tasting room to thank the woman, and she gave me some free tastings (these days they costs money...). Which I didn't really want since I was feeling a little out of sorts, but took them anyway. Seems I don't really like red dessert wine. But I did buy some chocolates so I felt better, plus she was a great saleswoman - for YOU, $5. With no price on it. But truly she was very very nice.

Then went up north to Clear Lake. I wanted to see Mendocino National Forest too and maybe sleep there. But I ran across a wood carving place (chainsaw). So stopped. I've wanted a chainsaw bear for a long time, and I figured I'd see what was up. Well, the people were very nice, but the sculptures were all shiny with protective coating. Yucky. The one they had which wasn't so shiny was nice, but didn't grab me. It was only after I saw a small bear in the corner that I realized what it was. The sculptures had no soul. The small one in the corner wasn't for sale - it was done by a carver who had retired. IT had soul.  But I did like the redwood trees the woman made out of redwood, so I got one. Billy the giant.

Ran across another thrift store and got more albums, including some guy narrating Aesop's Fables - a guy saw me get that one and mentioned that it's a great album.  :-)  And then found a Smothers Brothers recording of Aesop Fables to go with it.

Found the campsite in the National Forest. On the way, there was a big honkin' lot of turkeys. I thought they were wild turkeys, but maybe not?  Just free-range?  There were a bunch across the road too. I have never seen so many turkeys in one place.

BTW, I have found that when I'm looking for a place, I always seem to stop just short of where I'm supposed to be, thinking that I've gone too far and should have been there already. And usually I'm wrong and just need to go a little further.

Turns out this area is for off-road dirtbike riding. There were all those people, and then me. I just parked my car in a spot and slept in it. 8pm, asleep. Just stayed there until it was light out. And got up to 29 degree weather. Wooooo! Drove off into the sunrise and up the mountain to get the view of Clear Lake.

The rest of Sunday I drove a bit all around. I stopped at Clear Lake State Park, really nice (again, thought I should have been there already, turned around, asked directions, and I should have just kept going). And had been referred to the Brick BBQ in Kelseyville, but unfortunately it was closed. The biker bar was open and the bartender told me, once she was done helping all her regulars, at 12:00 noon.  :-)  (Below is a B&B at Clear Lake where your room is a railroad car! There's about 6 at least.)

So I drove off, and out of the mountain I had to stop and rest. I was getting a migraine. So I stopped the side of the road, took two ibuprofins, leaned my seat back, and slept for an hour. It really helped. I just hung out in Calistoga for a bit (cool town!) and drove down through central Napa Valley at the exact wrong time of day (5:00 pm - when the wineries close). But the sun was shining and the blooms were blooming and it was really pretty.

No deep thoughts really. Except that I was glad to enjoy time with myself and have the freedom to do what I wanted. Of course, it wasn't like I wasn't sharing it, since I talked with M a couple times, but you know, it's nice to meet random new people and see new places. Will do it more...